This invention relates to enclosures for vehicles, and more particularly to an enclosure having an adhesive-backed fastener that is used in conjunction with conventional snaps for quickly and easily installing the enclosure on a vehicle.
Conventional enclosures, such as enclosures for golf carts, are attached to golf carts using a combination of hook and loop fasteners and/or snaps. Conventional snaps require an installer to drill holes into the structure of the golf cart in order to attach each snap to the golf cart with a screw. Tracks having C-shaped channels are also commonly used to attach an upper edge of a golf cart enclosure to a roof of a golf cart. A golf cart enclosure is attached to the track by sliding a cord sewn into the upper edge of the golf cart enclosure into the C-shaped channel. The tracks are attached to the roof using screws or nuts and bolts. This requires designing the brackets so screw holes on the brackets line up with existing screw holes on the roof. Installation of the tracks is time consuming and costly because it often requires some dismantling of the roof and the roof support structure to gain access to existing screw holes to install the C-shaped channels (usually expensive aluminum). Furthermore, conventional installations wherein holes are drilled into any portion of a golf cart will void most golf cart manufacturers' warranties.
Therefore, a need exists for a vehicle enclosure and method of installation that will allow a user to quickly install and secure the enclosure to a vehicle without having to drill any holes into the vehicle or use brackets to attach the enclosure to the roof of a golf cart.
The relevant prior art includes the following references:
Patent No.InventorIssue/Publication Date(U.S. Patent References)D626,452Helwig et al.Nov. 02, 2010D626,451Helwig et al.Nov. 02, 20107,560,003Naughton et al.Jul. 14, 2009D557,191Curtis, Jr. et al.Dec. 11, 20077,213,864GasperMay 08, 20077,210,492Gerrie et al.May 01, 20076,979,044TyrerDec. 27, 20056,916,059FeinbergJul. 12, 2005RE38,272NationOct. 14, 20036,439,637TyrerAug. 27, 20026,132,089Galomb et al.Oct. 17, 20005,429,404King, Sr.Jul. 04, 19955,014,400BanMay 14, 19914,654,934HasegawaApr. 07, 19873,851,357Ribich et al.Dec. 03, 19743,784,235Kessler et al.Jan. 08, 19743,709,553Churchill et al.Jan. 09, 19731,242,108Buob, Sr.Oct. 02, 1917(Foreign Patent, References)EP2263491HayashiDec. 22, 2010